Performance testing has an almost insatiable thirst for data. When executing thousands of tests to put load on servers, each of the tests needs data that is given to the server. In my experience, I have noticed 3 types of data that are needed.
- Unchecked – Values that must be filled out but for the most part are not checked by the server. These values can be randomly generated, selected from a list, or simply entered as fixed data that doesn’t change from test to test. Managing this type of data is very simple and requires relatively little work.
- Checked – Values that are checked by the server and must match for a test to execute properly. These values are different based on a test type, but may be the same every time the test is run. A great way to deal with these types of values is to look them up by test type or name, and a description of the value. Properties files, spreadsheets, or some other simple mechanism can easily accommodate this type of data. The data can still be random, but it must be grouped together so that random selections choose all the pieces of data that go together.
- Consumable – Values which are consumable cannot be used again and are lost once they are used. These values are the hardest to manage because not only do they behave like checked data, they disappear and new data is needed to execute a second test. When trying to put a server under heavy load, lots of unique data will be needed. The best way to manage this kind of data is with a database. The sheer volume of data, and the fact that it needs to be marked as used is best handled by a tool made for the purpose.
Posted under Performance, Test Data
This post was written by robert.casto on May 15, 2009
